


we’ll find a way through the dark

by HiddenObscurial



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: (except Palpatine), Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Anakin Skywalker Doesn't Turn to the Dark Side, Canon Divergence - Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, Dead Sheev Palpatine, F/M, Fix-It, Fluff, Gen, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-17
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:55:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25333495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HiddenObscurial/pseuds/HiddenObscurial
Summary: Anakin makes a different choice in the chancellor's office, and our heroes get the happy ending they deserve.
Relationships: Anakin Skywalker & Ahsoka Tano, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker, Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker
Comments: 15
Kudos: 242
Collections: Guerra_das_Estrelas





	we’ll find a way through the dark

Anakin brings his blade down, and Palpatine cries out, yellow Sith eyes flicking towards him with a storm of emotion behind them, before he goes still and slumps lifelessly to the ground. 

The world around him feels like a blur. It’s a robotic motion, one that he’s done so many times, that flicks his lightsaber off and clips it back on his belt. He thinks if his saber hand were still flesh, it would be shaking. He’d just killed the man he had viewed as a father for years. No - the chancellor was a _sith lord._ There’s a bitter taste in his mouth as he stands over the evidence. 

“You did well, Skywalker,” Windu tells him. “Perhaps our mistrust in you was a misjudgement on our part after all.” 

Anakin wonders if it was. If Obi-Wan hadn’t come running into the chancellor’s office when he did...

“Thank you, Master Windu.” His reply is automatic. 

“We should go back to the temple now,” Obi-Wan says, looking at the bodies of the Jedi Masters lying on the ground. 

Windu nods in agreement. “We’ll need to report this to the senate as well. They will need to elect a new chancellor.” 

Back at the temple, an emergency council meeting is called, and they explain to the remaining Council members what had happened. 

“Twisted by the Sith lord, your mind was, Skywalker.” Yoda says gravely. “Noticed this, we should have.”

“The Council has become arrogant in our years of peace. Perhaps it is time we changed our ways,” Windu adds. 

Obi-Wan, who has been quiet the entire meeting, finally speaks. “Perhaps we should start by reviewing the part of our code forbidding attachment. I believe attachment can provide a positive drive to do our duty as Jedi.” 

Anakin’s head whips over to look at Obi-Wan, startled. Obi-Wan Kenobi, model Jedi, suggesting that they change the code to allow Jedi to have proper relationships?

Although, to be fair, he should have seen it coming after witnessing first-hand the way Obi-Wan’s guarded exterior seemed to melt away in front of Satine Kryze.

He fully expects the Council to reject Obi-Wan’s proposal as he looks back to the others. But aside from Ki-Adi-Mundi, the most traditional of them, looking slightly scandalised, they generally looked approving. 

“Consider it, we shall,” Yoda says, hologram flickering. “The details, work out later, we will. Now, report to the senate, you must.” 

The Council adjourns, and the members physically in the room leave. 

“Master Kenobi, Skywalker,” Windu turns just before stepping out of the room. “I’ll meet you at the senate building.” 

With that, Anakin is alone in the room with Obi-Wan. 

“We should go.” Anakin moves towards the door, but Obi-Wan catches his arm. 

“Anakin.” His tone leaves no room for arguement, and Anakin reluctantly turns to face his former master. “I know the chancellor was a dear friend of yours. It’s not your fault you were manipulated by him, especially not since he started planting those seeds in your head so early on. It’s alright if you don’t want to come.”

Anakin shakes his head. “No. I’ll go. I need to-“ He stops himself before he says it, but Obi-Wan just smiles. 

“Senator Amidala?” 

Anakin’s mouth hangs slightly agape, and he finally meets Obi-Wan’s eyes. “How did you...”

“You know, Anakin, you aren’t as subtle as you think you are.” Obi-Wan’s tone is far from the scolding he expected. “And I’m not blind; I knew there was something going on between the two of you.”

“You‘re not mad?”

“Of course not.” Obi-Wan looks surprised. “Why would I be?”

“You... You’re on the council! And the Jedi code says we can’t-“ Anakin gestures haphazardly towards him as if the answer was written all over him. 

“Oh, Anakin,” Obi-Wan sighs. “I’ve seen how happy you are when you’re with her. I’d never deny you of that.” 

He probably should be overjoyed that Obi-Wan had kept his secret for so long, but all he can really feel is regret. He had told Palpatine every last detail of his life, and shut Obi-Wan, the person who truly cared for him, out. 

He suddenly lunges forward and tackles Obi-Wan in a hug. “I’m sorry, Master.” 

Obi-Wan, looking slightly confused, hugs him back tightly. “Whatever for?” 

“For keeping all this from you. I told everything to Palpatine,” Anakin’s voice cracks. “He said he could keep Padme safe, and I believed him, and I almost...”

Obi-Wan steadies him by the shoulders. “As I said, it is not your fault. And I don’t blame you for keeping anything from me. But I want you to know you can tell me anything, alright? Your well-being will always be more important to me than any code or council.”

The nightmares of Padme flash across his mind, and he realises Obi-Wan is offering him a chance to tell him everything. “Obi-Wan,” he says carefully. “I’ve been having visions again. I see Padme dying.” 

Obi-Wan stills, looking at him seriously. “Do you see how it happens?” 

Under Obi-Wan’s gaze, he feels like he’s a young Padawan who just got in trouble again. “She- She’s pregnant. And she dies in childbirth,” Anakin replies hesitantly. “I’m sorry, Master, I-“ 

“We’ll save her,” Obi-Wan says firmly. “Just keep her on Coruscant; we’ll make sure she gets the medical care she needs.”

“Thank you,” Anakin says sincerely. 

“Now, let’s go to the senate, shall we?” Obi-Wan says, and leads him out of the room. “I’m sure a certain senator will be very glad to see you after all that.”

“Yeah,” Anakin agrees. “And also... Um... Obi-Wan? We’re married. Me and Padme.”

Obi-Wan glances at him, an exasperated but fond look on his face. “Of course you are.”

* * *

When they get to the senate, the sun is already beginning to set. Obi-Wan leaves to look for Windu, while Anakin hurries towards Padme’s office.

Threepio lets him in immediately, and he slides the door open. Padme is sitting at her desk, reading a datapad. Behind her, the last golden rays of the sunset filtered through the window, framing her silhouette perfectly in the light. 

“Ani!” Padme stands from behind her desk and rushes across the room to meet him. “What’s going on? I heard someone say the chancellor is dead-“

Anakin closes the door behind him with the Force and cuts her off with a kiss.

“We found the Sith lord,” Anakin tells her quietly as they break apart. “It was him. Palpatine.”

“Palpatine?” Padme repeats, shocked.

“I talked to him right before going to the council. He tried to turn me to the dark side.” He unconsciously clenches his fists. “He promised to save you, Padme. I almost did, until Obi-Wan ran in and joined the fight, and him being there made me realise... I was so close to turning, if Obi-Wan hadn’t come, I would have killed Windu and saved Palpatine, all for something that was probably a lie.”

Padme gently takes his hands. “But you didn’t. That’s what’s important.”

She leans in and kisses him gently, and he relaxes under her touch. “I told Obi-Wan about us. And the little one.” He brings his flesh hand up to rest on her stomach.

“And your visions?”

“He said he’ll help us.” Anakin replies. 

Padme smiles. “He cares a lot about you, Ani. He really does.” 

A knock on the door forces them to separate. 

“Senator, the session will begin in five minutes,” someone calls from outside. 

“I’ll see you at home later tonight, then,” Anakin says. “And good luck with, well-“ he gestures vaguely towards the main senate room, ”-whatever mess is about to happen in that session.” 

Padme laughs, and he joins her, feeling lighter than he has in a long time. 

* * *

The sun is just rising as Anakin watches the Venator land on the runway. Last night’s senate session had ended with Bail Organa being elected as the new chancellor, and now they were starting peace talks with the Separatists. The worst of the war was over, and with some luck, the rest of it would be over within the next few weeks. 

The Venator is moved into loading bays, and 501st troops start unloading from the ship. Then, from behind them, Ahsoka steps off the ship. 

Anakin walks forward to meet her. “Ahsoka!” 

Ahsoka runs to meet him and flings her arms around him. “I felt something yesterday on the way back - some disturbance in the Force.”

Anakin catches her up on the events of the last day as they head back to the temple. 

“If Palpatine was the Sith lord, and he was the one who commissioned the clone army... Do you think they were part of his plan too?” 

Anakin freezes. The memory of Tup’s strange behaviour, followed by Fives’s unprompted assassination of the chancellor, suddenly resurface. 

_”Good soldiers follow orders.”_ It all made sense now. 

“Tiplar was murdered by one of our 501st troopers in the middle of a campaign. It seemed like he was being controlled by something. And then Fives said he found something in their heads... Kriff, they’ve all been part of his plan from the very beginning!” Anakin seethes. 

Ahsoka grabs his arm. “We should tell the Council. Or the senate.” 

“The council first,” Anakin agrees. “Then we’ll see what the council says about telling the senate.” 

* * *

The meeting with the council goes quickly as they piece together the clues left behind by the troopers. The scale of the plot is horrifyingly large - every single clone had been implanted with a chip that would turn them into mindless droids programmed to kill their Jedi generals. 

_Slaves._ Anakin tenses as the word is said, and Obi-Wan, standing next to him at the holotable, touches his arm reassuringly. 

A plan is set in place to remove the chips from the clones discreetly, just in case any Separatist leadership left has any way of triggering them. 

The cleanup of the war over the next few weeks passes quickly. The senate makes a deal with the Separatists to coexist peacefully and establish trade once again. The chips are removed from the clones. The clone army is withdrawn from various disputed territories in the Mid and Outer rim, brought back to Coruscant, and offered citizenship in various Core planets. And at last, the code is formally amended.

The visions of Padme dying, which he’s had every night for weeks, have stopped too. “I suspect Palpatine was manipulating the Force to put those visions in your head,” Obi-Wan had told him. “But regardless of whether they’re real, we will make sure she survives.” 

It’s three weeks after the end of the war when Anakin is woken up by Padme in the middle of the night. “Ani, I think our baby’s coming.” 

They get dressed quickly and he helps her into their speeder. He grips the controls until the knuckles on his flesh hand turn white and ignores the speed limit as he flies towards the medical centre. 

In the passenger seat, Padme groans in pain, her eyes shut, and the sight of her trembling frame makes him terrified. Gritting his teeth, he reaches out through the Force, trying to take some of her pain away.

At the medical centre, they’re whisked away into a private room, and Anakin takes the chance to comm Obi-Wan and Ahsoka to let them know what’s going on. Then, he sits down next to Padme and reaches out with the Force, pulling the pain away from her while the medical droids work to get the pain meds into her. 

Then, one of the droids comes up to him. “Both her and the babies are healthy. I expect it will be a smooth delivery.” 

Anakin is already nodding in response before he realises what the droid just said. “Babies?”

“Yes. She is carrying twins.”

Anakin is still staring at the droid in shock when Padme squeezes his hand. “Twins, Ani,” she breathes. “We’re having twins.” 

Anakin closes his eyes and searches through the Force for their Force signatures, and finds them easily - two incredibly bright spots of light in the Force. He wonders how he had never noticed before. 

“I can sense them,” he tells Padme, awestruck. 

A few hours later, the wail of the first baby pierces through the tense quiet of the room, and a medical droid places the baby on Padme’s chest. “It’s a boy.” 

The little boy is tiny, and has a few wisps of blond hair on his head. As Padme gently cradles him, he stops crying. 

“Hey, little one,” Anakin whispers as he reaches out to touch the child’s hand. The child coos and opens his eyes slowly. 

“He’s got your eyes, Ani.” Padme smiles at him.

Their second baby is brought over to them soon after - “It’s a girl,” the droid lets them know - and Anakin takes the boy from Padme. The little girl has black hair and Padme’s eyes and nose, and his heart leaps at how perfect both their children are.

 _Their_ children. As he holds their baby boy, his heart feels so full that it might burst. 

“I know we haven’t talked about this, but I was thinking about Luke and Leia? For their names?” Padme says. 

“Luke and Leia.” Anakin grins. “It’s perfect.” 

Later, while Padme rests, Anakin sits at her bedside, holding Luke in one arm and Leia in the other. Their presences in the Force as they sleep are bright and pure and innocent, and so impossibly light compared to everything he’s ever sensed. 

“I won’t let you two get hurt, ever,” he promises quietly. “I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

There is a soft knock on the door before it slides away to reveal Obi-Wan and Ahsoka on the other side. 

Obi-Wan nods in greeting, and raises his eyebrows as he notices the two tiny bundles in Anakin’s arms. “Twins?”

“Yeah.” Anakin nods. “Obi-Wan, Snips, meet Luke and Leia.” 

Ahsoka settles into the chair next to him, and reaches over. “Can I...?”

“Sure, Snips.” Leia stirs in her sleep as Ahsoka takes her from Anakin, and he hands Luke over to Obi-Wan. 

Luke wakes from the movement, and opens his eyes to stare up at Obi-Wan curiously. 

“Hello, Luke,” Obi-Wan says softly, smiling. He uses his free hand to hold Luke’s hand that’s peeking out of the blanket, and Anakin stares in disbelief when Luke curls his fingers around Obi-Wan’s index finger. 

“Hey! That’s unfair!” Anakin protests. “He’s didn’t do that to me!” 

Obi-Wan chuckles. “Not my fault he seems to like me.” 

They settle into a comfortable silence. Watching Obi-Wan and Ahsoka hold his children, he wonders how he could ever have even considered Palpatine’s offers. A sudden realisation hits him as he prods around subconsciously in his mind, and the dark presence he’s felt his entire life is no longer there. He had long believed that the dark side had simply been a part of him from the very beginning - a part due to the fact that he was never raised in the creche - but now he knows, with a sort of horrifying clarity, that Palpatine had been behind it all along. It had been Palpatine’s manipulations that had put him on the High Council, fueled his lust for power and made him believe in the unnatural ways of the dark. 

“Obi-Wan?” he says hesitantly. He hates that his voice betrays his nervousness over what he’s about to say.

Obi-Wan glances up and looks at him, concerned. 

“I was thinking... I should step down from the Council. Now that we know Palpatine was behind all this,” Anakin tells him. “I think I should earn my spot on the Council the proper way.” 

Obi-Wan looks surprised for a moment, before understanding replaces his expression. “Of course. I’ll inform the Council for you. Although, I’m sure the Council will be glad to have you join us whenever you’re ready.”

Anakin smiles in response, and the Force hums with approval, as if telling him he’s on the right path. 

* * *

**5 YEARS LATER...**

Anakin stands outside the Council room alone. The Council had summoned him - probably for an important mission, considering he usually gets smaller missions over his comm and not in person. He frowns at the thought that an important mission might take him off-world for weeks or even months. The Council has been understanding enough to assign him to missions based on Coruscant so that he could see his family often enough, but he supposes now is the point when they start putting him back on regular missions, with Luke and Leia turning five in a few weeks' time.

The door slides open, and he steps forward into the centre of the room.

“Successful, your last mission was,” Yoda says warmly. Anakin vaguely wonders why they’re talking about his last mission - just a simple one that involved catching a bunch of conspirators that had planned a terrorist attack on the Coruscant surface - but he guesses Yoda didn’t have the time to read the mission report.

“Yes, Master.” 

“A lot of lives, you saved,” Yoda continues. “Mastery of the Force, you have displayed.” 

A compliment. _That’s new,_ Anakin thinks. He’s really starting to wonder where the Council is headed with this conversation.

“Thank you, Master.” 

“Many missions, you have completed. Trained a Padawan, you have, though left the order, she did.” Yoda continues. “A great Knight, you have become. And a great Master, you will be.”

“Master?” The words take a second to sink in, and he looks around the Council room to see all the masters giving him approving smiles. 

“Yes, a Master.” Obi-Wan stands and walks to stand in front of him, a twinkle in his eye. Then softer, he adds, “I am very proud of you, Anakin.” 

Anakin grins at him. “You did train me well, Obi-Wan. I’ve got you to thank too.”

“Now, kneel so I can give you your rank,” Obi-Wan chuckles, and Anakin kneels before him. Obi-Wan takes out his lightsaber and ignites it. 

“By the right of the Council,“ the blade goes over his left shoulder, “By the will of the Force,“ The blade goes over his right shoulder this time. “Jedi Master Anakin Skywalker.” 

Obi-Wan lifts the blade from above his head and clips his lightsaber back on his belt. Anakin stands. 

“Now, I think the Council has one more thing to say,” Obi-Wan tells him, a knowing smile on his face, ignoring the confused look Anakin returns as he returns to his seat. 

“Master Skywalker,” Windu begins, “The Council acknowledges that you have served the Order well, and demonstrated an impressive understanding of and proficiency in the Force. We believe your talents could be put to even better use on this Council.”

Anakin stares at him speechlessly, eyes wide. 

“A seat on the High Council, we are offering you,” Yoda says. “Accept it, do you?” 

“It’d be an honour, Masters,” Anakin bows, and out of the corner of his eye, he can see Obi-Wan beaming at him proudly. “I accept.” 

* * *

Anakin heads back to the apartment with Obi-Wan in tow. As they step into the living area quietly, Padme comes forward to greet them, planting a kiss on Anakin’s lips. 

They move into the house and settle down while Anakin tells her about the day’s happenings. 

“A Master, and a seat on the Council!” Padme exclaims. “Ani, that’s wonderful!”

Anakin grins and leans over to kiss her again. After they separate, Padme stands. “Let’s have a drink to celebrate this, shall we?” 

“Nothing too strong, please, Ahsoka is coming over in a little while,” Obi-Wan calls after her.

Padme returns with a tray, four glasses and a bottle of Naboo wine sitting atop it. As she pours the drinks, the intercom of the apartment chimes, and Anakin goes over to let Ahsoka in. Ahsoka tackles him in a hug as soon as she steps into the apartment. 

“Skyguy! You’ve got to tell Rex and the rest of the boys so we can celebrate at 79’s!” Ahsoka says excitedly. “‘Anakin Skywalker of the Jedi High Council’. Don’t forget me when you become even more famous than you already are!” 

“Of course I’ll tell them,” Anakin replies, laughing. “We’ll go to 79’s once they’re all off duty this week.”

They settle down on the couch and Anakin hands her a glass of wine before grabbing his own. 

“A toast, to Anakin’s promotion,” Obi-Wan says, and they clink their glasses together before taking a sip of their drinks.

“You know, Skyguy,” Ahsoka says after a few seconds of silence. “I was thinking of coming back to the Order.” 

Anakin’s smile brightens even more. “Really?” 

Ahsoka nods, and this time, it’s Anakin who lunges over and hugs her. 

“Mandalore’s almost done with their rebuilding,“ Ahsoka explains as Anakin pulls away. “They won’t be needing my help around there much longer. Bo’s got control of the government, and they’ve almost got Mandalore back to the state it was before the war.” 

At the mention of Mandalore, Obi-Wan smiles wistfully. “I’ve seen the holonews. I think Satine would have loved it.”

“Yes, she would have,” Padme agrees. She raises her glass. “To Satine.” 

They toast again, and then there’s silence except for the hum of city life outside.

And then, there’s the sound of soft footsteps padding down the hall. “Daddy?” 

Luke appears in the living area, clutching a stuffed lothcat, sleepy blue eyes peering at Anakin. 

Anakin moves over and picks Luke up. “What’re you doing up so late, little one?” 

“Dunno,” Luke mumbles. 

Anakin sighs in exasperation. “You should be asleep.” 

“Don’t wanna,” Luke pouts, then yawns, and Obi-Wan laughs. 

“I suppose you know how I felt dealing with you as a Padawan now, yes?” Obi-Wan says all too brightly, and Ahsoka and Padme burst out laughing as well. 

“Very funny.” Anakin shoots him a glare, but there’s no real anger behind it. 

Luke, now noticing Obi-Wan, reaches out towards him with his hand that isn’t holding on to his stuffed lothcat. “Uncle Obi!”

Anakin sits back down on the couch, handing Luke over to Obi-Wan. 

“Hello, Luke.” Obi-Wan smiles at the little boy as he settles on Obi-Wan’s lap.

Luke grabs at the lightsaber clipped to Obi-Wan’s belt, and Obi-Wan catches his hand. 

“Luke!” Padme berates. “What did we say about lightsabers?” 

“Don’t take them,” Luke says sheepishly. “Or get par-mee-shun.” Luke pronounces each syllable carefully, then looks up at Padme proudly. 

“Permission, darling,” Padme corrects. 

“Here, you can take mine,” Ahsoka says, unclipping her shoto blade from her belt and turning the power setting down to training mode. “There.” 

Luke jumps off Obi-Wan’s lap and grabs the saber. “Thanks ‘Soka!” 

Luke’s energy must have been sensed by Leia, because she comes padding into the living area a few moments later with an adorably indignant, “What’s going on?” 

“Come over, Obi-Wan and Ahsoka are here,” Padme says soothingly, and Leia climbs into her lap. Anakin floats one of the stray toys lying around over to her with the Force, and Leia immediately brightens, annoyance from being woken up earlier long forgotten. She grabs the toy out of the air and squeezes her eyes shut, and then, the toy shakily lifts off and hovers above her open palm.

Watching his children together with Padme and Obi-Wan and Ahsoka, Anakin thinks nothing could be better than this moment. The war had tried to tear it away from him, but it had failed, and now, he has everything he could possibly want in the galaxy.

“I love you,” he tells Padme, slipping his hand into hers. She meets his eyes and smiles, and it feels like he’s falling in love all over again.

The Force sings with contentment, and he knows, with absolute certainty, that this is what he had been protecting from the Sith, and from Palpatine all along - the warm, pure, _right_ feeling that surrounds them. 


End file.
